Most Shipping Guarantees Expire Dec. 18: Shop.org

The majority of online merchants have set the deadline to place orders for ground shipping with guaranteed delivery by Christmas on or before Dec. 18, according to a study by trade group Shop.org.

Not surprisingly, almost three quarters of retailers said they plan to increase their fulfillment operation hours this holiday season and two thirds said they plan to increase fulfillment staff, according to the study conducted by Shopzilla on behalf of Shop.org.

Also, with the gift card market pegged at $26.3 billion this year, according to Shop.org’s parent the National Retail Federation, more than two thirds of online merchants are giving consumers the opportunity to buy and redeem gift cards on their Web sites, according to the survey.

Just under 33% of consumers plan to buy at least one gift card online this holiday season, according to Shop.org.

And while 63.9% of those surveyed are going to have gift cards they buy mailed directly to recipients, 25.9% will have them mailed to themselves, and 13.5% will have them sent electronically, the study determined.

Also, 86% of people who expect to receive gift cards this holiday season plan to redeem them online, according to Shop.org.